


We keep meeting and I think I like you

by Late_to_the_fandom



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Getting to Know Each Other, Hot Chocolate, M/M, Police man Derek, What other tags should I add ?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-14 00:51:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16029587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Late_to_the_fandom/pseuds/Late_to_the_fandom
Summary: It all started rather innocently, really. Just a decent man doing a good deed for another.The first time was when Stiles offered deputy Derek Hale a thermos full of hot cocoa.The weather was a cluster fuck of everything that winter can throw at you: freezing rain, sleet, snow, you name it. It had all fallen in a matter of a few hours and had resulted in a four-car pileup in Stiles’ front lawn.The first responder to arrive was Deputy Hale.The whole situation took most of the morning to clear out as the road was iced over, making any vehicle trying to get there skid and lose control.





	We keep meeting and I think I like you

It all started rather innocently, really. Just a decent man doing a good deed for another.

The first time was when Stiles offered deputy Derek Hale a thermos full of hot cocoa.

The weather was a cluster fuck of everything that winter can throw at you: freezing rain, sleet, snow, you name it. It had all fallen in a matter of a few hours and had resulted in a four-car pileup in Stiles’ front lawn.  
The first responder to arrive was Deputy Hale.  
The whole situation took most of the morning to clear out as the road was iced over, making any vehicle trying to get there skid and lose control.

It was a mess that Stiles was observing from the comfort of his home. He had noticed that the tall officer kept rubbing his hands to warm them. The weather was not improving, the temperature was still below freezing and he’d been out in it for the last 4 hours. The paramedics and tow truck operators came and went but he was still there and had not had any back up. The other deputies were most likely stuck in similar situations all over town.

Stiles wasn’t a coffee drinker but he loved hot chocolate and after seeing Deputy Hale shiver again, he decided that today was a perfect day for the comforting drink. He preferred making it from scratch than buying the oversweet options found at the grocery store so he prepared a few cups worth to share. He had scrounged up an old thermos and filled it, hoping it still kept its warmth. He bundled himself up and went out, a bag of ice-melter under his arm, and cleared a path to the police SUV parked in front. He nodded to a few people in passing, trudged back up the walk and disappeared back inside. He waited a few minutes for the stuff he had spread to do its magic then confronted the elements again with the thermos secured in his gloved hands.

He trotted over, tapped the taller man on a shoulder and almost fell on his ass when he met the green gaze of the deputy. The man was gorgeous, with mossy eyes fringed with sinfully long, dark, lashes and a trimmed beard the color of night. Stiles’ breath hitched in his chest and he felt his face flush. Yep, he had probably turned a nice shade of red. He swallowed nervously and extended his arm bearing the hot cocoa.  
“Hi, I’ve, huh… I’ve noticed you’ve been out here all morning and, well, you seem to be cold so I’ve brought you hot chocolate. Sorry, I don’t drink coffee so I hope this is okay?”

Derek Hale was indeed frozen, in more ways than one. The voice was like a warm caress on his skin. The moment he turned to face the man, his annoyance at the disturbance he thought was coming evaporated on his breath. He was met by a pair of sparkling, dark honey eyes peering from between the vibrantly colored scarf and knitted hat the man wore.  
“Huh? Oh! Ahh… no, that’s fine, perfect really!” He mentally kicked himself. He grumbled “I mean, thank you. That’s thoughtful of you.” He unscrewed the lid and closed his eyes at the warmth that wafted from the hot liquid. He took a sip and let out an indecent groan as the flavor and heat burst on his tongue. “Man, that feels amazing right now, you have no idea!”

Stiles laughed pleasingly. “Well, if you need anything else just come knocking.” He nodded in the direction of his front door and shuffled back in.

 

-oOo-

 

The second time happened at the station.

Derek had been surprised by the stranger’s kindness. He had been meaning to return the thermos but always got sidetracked with the constant amount of paperwork he had to complete.  
He came in the station late one afternoon and was surprised to see the man in his boss’ office.  
Being fairly new to the area, he had yet to meet all of his coworker’s families so he had no clue that he was the Sherriff’s son. The younger Stilinski had his father’s chestnut hair and, now that he wasn’t hidden under layers of wool, Derek could see his face and he was bowled over by how good looking he was. He made his way to his desk, casting subtle glances along the way.

He still had not returned the thermos and had no idea how to repay him so he held on to the container and decided to ask his sister for advice.

 

-oOo-

 

Stiles came home from running errands a few days later to find a paper bag on his front porch. He brought it in and peered inside. He found his thermos, a plastic container and a note.  
He scanned it quickly and smiled.

 

 _I’m sorry, it took longer than I expected for me to return this._  
_Thank you for the kind gesture._  
_Please accept this token of my gratitude._  
_Deputy Derek Hale_

 

He popped the lid on the container to find a small pie. Apples, by the looks of it. That was his favorite. The temptation to dig in and have pie for dinner was strong but he put it away in the refrigerator to keep it for desert.  
He finally came back to it later that evening. He sat on the counter, legs swinging as he ate directly from the dish. The flavors exploded on his tongue, the sweetness of the apples balancing the nutty flavor of the cinnamon and nutmeg mix.

Now, Stiles being Stiles, he liked to know everything he could about, well, everything, so he had grilled his father on the subject of Derek Hale. He had learned a few interesting tidbits about the sexy bearded man, like the fact that he was single and that his sister owned the Hale Bakery Café, which he would bet the pie came from.

He had been on the lookout since the car crash incident, hoping to bump into the new handsome deputy. Unfortunately, being on rotating shifts meant that Derek had been elusive. Stiles wasn’t known for his patience and this meant he wanted things to move faster. It was time to take matters in his own hands and the best way to do so was to splurge on coffee and pastries from the bakery.

 

-oOo-

 

The third time happened at the Café.

Derek was a family man and that meant helping his sister when she needed a hand. The Bakery was doing well and the demand for their freshly baked goods was growing steadily. Unfortunately, finding skilled employees in a small town was not always easy and he often found himself elbows deep in pie crusts and various mixes. He loved baking so it was no hardship but it kind of made his personal life suck. Being stuck in the small kitchen was not conclusive to meeting new people.  
The bell above the door had been ringing all morning, marking a constant flow of customers, which explained why he was, yet again, in here on his day off. Grabbing a fresh batch of muffins, he made his way up front to refill the display. Cora was chatting with a customer and ringing up his order. The man’s smooth voice made his skin tingle in recognition. He turned his head and was met with Stiles Stilinski’s warm amber gaze. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and his brain stuttered to a screeching halt. He nodded in acknowledgment, face flaming, and retreated to the relative safety of the kitchen.

What the fuck was wrong with him?!  
Derek was a self-confident man and he had never, ever, been tongue tied before so he had a bit of a hard time understanding why his head felt dumb and why his heart was stampeding in his chest. He rubbed a fist on his solar plexus to relieve the weird ache, berating himself and grumbling about being an idiot while he prepared the mix of chocolate chips cookies.

Unbeknown to him, a strange and silent exchange of smiles and wiggling eyebrows was shared between Cora and Stiles who were still chatting up front.

 

-oOo-

 

Cora was happy she had befriended Stiles. He was a genuinely nice person with a great sense of humor and a quick wit. He had a fun personality and it didn’t hurt that he was rather good looking. He was oblivious to that fact and it made him even hotter, and that had not gone unnoticed by her older brother. It was funny how flustered he became the moment he laid eyes on him. Derek had asked her ideas on how to repay Stiles’ kindness and it was clear that the Sheriff’s son had caught his eye.

She might be younger than both of them but one thing she wasn’t was dumb. Stiles came in almost every morning and his interest was made obvious when is questions veered from the general, family oriented ones to being almost exclusively “Derek” centric.

They were so perfect for each other that she had decided to stick her nose in their business and was now playing matchmaker. They had no clue about her meddling. Well, Stiles might be on to her but Derek was blissfully unaware. The idiot.

 

-oOo-

 

The fourth time took place during the city’s Spring fair.

Every year the city of Beacon Hills marked the end of winter by having a Spring Fair. It was held in April and comprised all imaginable carnival games and concession stands.  
Cora decided to hold a kiosk offering a few of their bestselling pastries and pies. Derek was on duty so he could not attend the fairgoers but he had lent a hand a few days before so Cora was not in too much of a bind. She had hired two young women a few months prior and, even though they worked part-time, all three were now a well-oiled machine.

The Sherriff had roped Stiles in helping with the police department booth and he had spent most of the day handing out pamphlets and showing the inside of a cruiser to kids. The young man was a social butterfly and he enjoyed himself but it had worn him out so he took off around 4pm.  
He wandered the fairgrounds, taking in the smells, the sounds, the laughter. He went by Cora’s stand and chatted a bit with the girls, Cora making a point of telling him her brother was on foot patrol, in his uniform, somewhere in the mass of people. He smiled at her smirk and left with a wink. She knew he was slightly infatuated with Derek and she took every opportunity to tease him.

It was almost an hour later that his stomach grumbled enough for him to decide to feed it so he walked around a bit, following his nose to a pizza stand. He left in search of a place to sit, a slice in one hand, a cola in the other and his attention clearly not on where he was stepping.  
Stiles was many things but coordinated was not one of them. He tripped on his own feet and jerked his whole body in an attempt to prevent him faceplanting in the crowd. He managed to stay upright but he bumped into a large body and ended with the pizza stuck to his tee shirt.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry!” He uttered in apology. He looked at his chest, groaned in disgust and mumbled to himself. ”Shit, that’s gonna stain. It’s still edible though…” He pulled the cheese from the fabric, shoved it in his mouth and chewed on the morsel.  
He was so focused on his own mini crisis he had not noticed who he had crashed into.

 

-oOo-

 

Derek was jostled from behind when someone ran into him. He spun around, eyebrows in a frown and ready to rebuke the person. The words died on his lips and his glare turned into surprise when faced with the object of his fantasies. To say he had a crush on Sherriff Stilinski’s son was putting it mildly and he was now staring at him.

Derek found that Stiles being all flustered was endearing but, as he’d never been this close to him before, he also made him feel quite awkward. That, in itself, was highly unusual and very uncomfortable.  
He called out to him. “Stiles?”

 

The younger man was jerked out of his thoughts when he heard his name, eyes jumping up and widening in surprise, then running down the body the voice belonged to.

“Fuck…. you’re hot!!” He blurted in surprise at the sight of Derek in Uniform. He then proceeded to turn a vivid shade of crimson. “Shit, I said that out loud didn’t I?” He grinned sheepishly and shuffled is feet as he rambled on. “I’m sorry. My brain to mouth filter is pretty much disconnected this late in the day. My meds stopped working a few hours back.”

To say that Derek was startled was a euphemism. He was actually closer to being shocked stupid if his lagging brain was any indication. “You think I’m hot?”

Stiles burst out laughing at the surprise on Derek’s face. “That’s what you took out of it? Dude, have you looked at yourself?” He waived his drink up and down in front of the deputy which attracted attention to his stained T-shirt.

Derek’s eyebrows scrunched and he nodded to his chest with his chin. “What happened to you?”  
Stiles laughed again. “Eh, I’m a klutz, goes with the territory. It’s not the last time I spill something on myself.” He took another bite and chewed on it while evaluating his next move.  
“I need to go change but, uh…, I was wondering if, ah…, would you be interested in going to a movie or something, someday?”

Derek’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, almost disappearing in his hairline, and Stiles could see the tip of his ears pinkening. He rubbed a hand on the back of his neck and nodded.  
“Actually, my shift is just about over. Would you like to go for a coffee? I think I have a T-shirt in my car that I could lend you.”

Stile’s head bobbed in consent, mouth full of pizza and a delighted glint in his eyes. They passed the bakery’s booth on their way to the parking lot and Derek saw his sister wink and give him two thumbs up. He smiled back shily and sent a small wave.  
He felt a bit shell-shocked and slightly light-headed. And man, there were butterflies in his stomach. He was going on a date.  
With Stiles.

He had Stiles belly laughing when he suddenly blurted “What was that about your meds?”  
“Come on big guy, let me explain the joys of ADHD.”


End file.
